James Graham, 4th Duke of Montrose
James Graham, 4th Duke of Montrose, KT, PC (16 July 1799 – 30 December 1874), styled Marquess of Graham until 1836, of Buchanan Castle in Stirlingshire (re-built by him in 1852-8) and 45 Belgrave Square in London,[1] was a British Conservative politician.
The Duke of Montrose | |
|---|---|
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | |
| In office 26 February 1858 – 11 June 1859 | |
| Monarch | Victoria |
| Prime Minister | The Earl of Derby |
| Preceded by | Matthew Talbot Baines |
| Succeeded by | Sir George Grey, Bt |
| Postmaster General | |
| In office 19 July 1866 – 1 December 1868 | |
| Monarch | Victoria |
| Prime Minister | The Earl of Derby Benjamin Disraeli |
| Preceded by | The Lord Stanley of Alderley |
| Succeeded by | Marquess of Hartington |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 16 July 1799 |
| Died | 30 December 1874 (aged 75) |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse(s) | Hon. Caroline Horsley-Beresford
(m. 1836) |
| Parents | James Graham, 3rd Duke of Montrose Lady Caroline Montagu |
| Alma mater | Trinity College, Cambridge |
Background and education
Montrose was the son of James Graham, 3rd Duke of Montrose, by his second wife Lady Caroline Maria, daughter of George Montagu, 4th Duke of Manchester.[2] He was educated at Eton[3] and Trinity College, Cambridge.[4]
Cricket
A member of Marylebone Cricket Club, Montrose made a single first-class appearance for an All-England team against Hampshire in 1828. He was recorded in the scorecard as Lord James Graham and scored two runs.[5]
Political career
In 1821, aged 21, Montrose was appointed Vice-Chamberlain of the Household,[6] despite not having a seat in Parliament, and was sworn of the Privy Council the same year.[7] He remained as Vice-Chamberlain until 1827. He was returned to Parliament for Cambridge in 1825, a seat he held until 1832,[8] and served as a commissioner of the India Board between 1828 and 1830.[3] In 1836 he succeeded his father in the dukedom and entered the House of Lords.
When the Earl of Derby became Prime Minister in February 1852, Montrose was appointed Lord Steward of the Household,[9] a post he retained until the government fell in December of the same year. He again served under Derby as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster between 1858 and 1859[10] and under Derby and later Benjamin Disraeli as Postmaster General between 1866 and 1868,[11] although he was never a member of the Cabinet. As Postmaster-General he introduced the Electric Telegraphs Bill which resulted in the transfer of British telegraph companies to the Post Office.[3]
Apart from his political career Montrose served as Chancellor of the University of Glasgow between 1837 and 1874 (succeeding his father)[3] and as Lord Lieutenant of Stirlingshire between 1843 and 1874.[11] He was made a Knight of the Thistle in 1845.[12]
Marriage & issue
In 1836 he married Hon. Caroline Agnes Horsley-Beresford (1818-1894), a daughter of John Horsley-Beresford, 2nd Baron Decies. She survived him and in 1876 married secondly to William Stuart Stirling-Crawfurd[2] (1819-1883) (whom she also survived) of Milton[13] in Lanarkshire and of Cannes, South of France, where he died, without issue.[14] By his wife he had issue including:[15]
Sons
- Lord James John Graham (1845–1846), who died in infancy.[15]
- Lord James Graham (1847–1872), styled by the courtesy title of Marquess of Graham,[15] eldest surviving son and heir apparent, who predeceased his father by two years.
- Douglas Graham, 5th Duke of Montrose (1852–1925), only surviving son and heir, who married Violet Hermione Graham, second daughter of Sir Frederick Ulric Graham, 3rd Baronet.[15]
Daughters
- Lady Agnes Caroline Graham (1839–1873), who married Lt. Col. John Murray of Touchadam and Polmaise in 1859.[15]
- Lady Beatrice Violet Graham (1842–1932), was a writer[16] (she married Algernon Greville, 2nd Baron Greville in 1863).[15]
- Lady Alma Imogen Leonora Carlotta Graham DGStJ (1854–1932), who married Gavin Campbell, 1st Marquess of Breadalbane in 1872.[15]
Death
He died in December 1874, aged 75, and was succeeded in the dukedom by his son, Douglas Graham, 5th Duke of Montrose (1852–1925).
References
- The Royal Court Guide, and Fashionable Directory, 1842
- thepeerage.com James Graham, 4th Duke of Montrose
- Biography at universitystory.gla.ac.uk
- "Graham, James, Marquess of (GRHN817J)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
- "Lord James Graham". CricketArchive. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
- "No. 17695". The London Gazette. 7 April 1821. p. 781.
- "No. 17683". The London Gazette. 24 February 1821. p. 466.
- "leighrayment.com House of Commons: Caernarfon to Cambridgeshire South West". Archived from the original on 13 July 2011. Retrieved 5 September 2009.
- "No. 21297". The London Gazette. 2 March 1852. p. 670.
- "No. 22106". The London Gazette. 2 March 1858. p. 1207.
- leighrayment.com Peerage: Monteagle to Mottistone
- "No. 20453". The London Gazette. 14 March 1845. p. 812.
- Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry, 15th Edition, ed. Pirie-Gordon, H., London, 1937, p.2176
- See law suit "Stirling_Stuart v Montgomerie and others (Stirling-Crawfurd's Trustees) Stirling Scottish Court of Session, 6 Feb 1885
- "Montrose, Duke of (S, 1707)". www.cracroftspeerage.co.uk. Heraldic Media Limited. Archived from the original on 5 January 2011. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
- "Greville [née Graham], Lady (Beatrice) Violet (1842–1932), journalist and author". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. doi:10.1093/odnb/9780198614128.013.50387. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
External links
- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by the Duke of Montrose
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Frederick Trench Charles Cheere |
Member of Parliament for Cambridge 1825–1832 With: Frederick Trench |
Succeeded by George Pryme Thomas Rice |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Viscount Jocelyn |
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household 1821–1827 |
Succeeded by Sir Samuel Hulse |
| Preceded by The Marquess of Westminster |
Lord Steward 1852 |
Succeeded by The Duke of Norfolk |
| Preceded by Matthew Talbot Baines |
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 1858–1859 |
Succeeded by Sir George Grey, Bt |
| Preceded by The Lord Stanley of Alderley |
Postmaster General 1866–1868 |
Succeeded by Marquess of Hartington |
| Academic offices | ||
| Preceded by The 3rd Duke of Montrose |
Chancellor of the University of Glasgow 1837–1874 |
Succeeded by Sir William Stirling-Maxwell, Bt |
| Honorary titles | ||
| Preceded by The Lord Abercromby |
Lord Lieutenant of Stirlingshire 1843–1874 |
Succeeded by The Earl of Dunmore |
| Peerage of Scotland | ||
| Preceded by James Graham |
Duke of Montrose 1836–1874 |
Succeeded by Douglas Graham |